Scranton, PA
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 39% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as low stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the candidate's experiences with empathy, resilience, favorite books, strengths/weaknesses, interest in specific medical specialties, community service, and responses to ethical scenarios. Additionally, respondents mentioned facing MMI style questions, non-disclosure agreements, and questions tailored to their essays and applications, indicating a structured interview format and a focus on individualized assessments.
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Difference between empathy and sympathy
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Tell me about yourself
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What does resilience mean to you?
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How do you like to destress?
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Is there anything you would like me to tell the admissions committee?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at The Commonwealth Medical College discussed a wide range of topics including customer service experience, personal life experiences like being a father or a firefighter, opinions on healthcare systems, travel preferences, and ethical dilemmas. The interview format may have been an MMI, as some responses hinted at non-disclosure agreements due to the nature of the questions asked.
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Tell me more about your customer service experience and how it relates to medicine?
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What do you think are issues/barriers in the field of medicine? Also asked me again when I said I was interested in OB/GYN
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What have you learned from being a father? How do you plan on helping your wife feel included and fulfilled while you are in medical school?
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How do you think your past as a firefighter will affect how you are as a doctor?
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How's your mom?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at The Commonwealth Medical College discussed a range of topics including ethical dilemmas, healthcare challenges, personal strengths and weaknesses, healthcare reform opinions, and the difference between empathy and sympathy. The interview format may have been MMI as some responses alluded to nondisclosure agreements, while others highlighted a conversational style with faculty members, with questions varying from personal experiences to healthcare system knowledge.
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Difference between empathy and sympathy
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ethical question regarding treating an unruly and bigoted patient
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What do you want me to tell the admissions committee that you haven’t already told me?
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What is an ethical dilemma you have faced lately?
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What is the biggest problem facing healthcare?
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 2-3 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent between $101 and $200.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP)
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virtual interview
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scranton/wilkes-barre airport
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Wilkes-Barres
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Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport
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Wilkes-Barre
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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Red Carpet Inn
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Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel Scranton
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Radisson Lackawanna Station
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Radisson
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Radison
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, researching the school's mission and values, practicing with mock interviews, and reading feedback on platforms like SDN. Many also focused on understanding healthcare issues in the region where the school is located and discussing their personal goals in relation to the school's mission.
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Read over my secondaries and school's mission.
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sdn questions, zoom mock interviews
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Practice questions
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I didn't.
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SDN, mock interview
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the welcoming and conversational atmosphere of the interviews, the friendliness and enthusiasm of the faculty, the brand new state-of-the-art facilities, and the emphasis on student input and feedback. Many applicants highlighted the positive experiences shared by current students, the community-oriented approach of the school, and the innovative curriculum as factors that positively influenced their perception of the institution.
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Both interviewers were really nice and the whole thing felt more like a conversation than an interview.
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emphasis on student feedback, massive integrated health system, brand new facilities
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The interviewer were very porfessional, but very personable. They made me feel like I was apart of the team already. This interview shot Geisinger to the top of my list.
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The facility.
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Personalized, cooperative learning environment where the faculty are extremely passionate about teaching.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the length and organization of the interview day, the lack of enthusiasm from interviewers and students, the rural location and limited facilities of the school, and uncertainty about the curriculum changes. Suggestions included improving the interview structure, enhancing student and faculty engagement, providing more information about the school's developments, and addressing the limitations of the facilities and resources.
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How long the whole Zoom call was.
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1 hour diversity lecture was overly hammy...students had no criticism of the school. no one could accurately inform us how the longitudinal clinical rotations worked
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I didn’t expect it to be closed interview, I don’t know if it was supposed to be. My faculty interviewer seemed distracted and in a rush to finish.
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N/A
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The annoyingly long diversity lecture. Bad way to start the whole day.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known more about the school's curriculum, the interview format, and the potential challenges with parking and location. They also highlighted the importance of comfortable footwear for navigating the campus, being aware of the regional campus placement, and the need to be prepared for both faculty and student interviews.
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geisinger had no dedicated step 1 prep time, and doesn't have a concrete plan in place to remediate it
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Interviewer name, whether it would be closed or open interview
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n/a
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My student interviewer only asked me 4 questions and I had to carry the rest of the conversation for the remaining 20min
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Grading structure, attendance policy
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally praised the strong faculty support and student wellness initiatives at the school, but some expressed concerns about the diversity of interviewers and the location of the campus. Overall, they appreciated the welcoming and conversational interview style, as well as the innovative educational model and commitment to community engagement.
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emphasis on primary care though the match list is strong, impressed by student wellness and friendliness of faculty, but confused about clincal years
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As a diverse applicant, I wish they had made an effort to match me with interviewers who understand my experience, or at least have faculty interviewers receptive /ask about what makes my experience and path to medicine unique
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What an amazing faculty from my short experience. I never thought I would be treated with so much respect and kindness in a medical school interview. Nobody talked down to me, but treated my experience as valuable and overall treated me as a peer in medicine, not an underling.
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Everything was great besides the diversity lecture. The woman giving it seem quite full of herself and said the same crap over and over again.
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I think I'd be really happy going to school here because of the quality of the education. Their mission isn't just something they say they care about but there's a strong sense that the faculty lives and dies by it. Geisinger also has a strong network throughout the region. I do not, however, love the location of the school.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should provide quicker decision timelines, improve consistency in information shared, offer more transparent communication about the decision-making process, and consider returning to rolling admissions for reduced stress levels. They also recommended enhancing the interview day experience with better presenter/speaker for curriculum overview and providing more substantial lunch options.
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6-8 week is very lengthy...some students have waited 11 weeks for a decision this cycle
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Wow, Geisinger admissions committee impressed me more than I can say. What a professional, caring and responsive staff. There is a reason Geisinger is shooting up every year in medical school rankings.
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Get back to us quicker than 6-8 weeks (If you can!).
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Presenter stated information that contradicted what students said later on tour. It was confusing.
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Better presenter/speaker for curriculum overview.
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